Key player in sports-bribery case appears in court
National News
Two former University of Toledo football players charged in a point-shaving scheme were arraigned in federal court Wednesday, including an ex-running back from Canada who is described as a key contact for Detroit-area gamblers.
Not guilty pleas were entered on behalf of Adam Cuomo of Hagersville, Ontario, and Quinton Broussard of Carrollton, Texas.
The FBI says Cuomo, 31, incriminated himself during an interview in December 2006. Authorities also have recordings of phone calls between him and Ghazi "Gary" Manni of Sterling Heights.
In December 2005, the talk turned to how a reluctant basketball player had agreed to shave points.
"Cuomo responded by saying that money will overcome all," FBI agent Stephen Ferrari said in a court document unsealed last month.
Cuomo is charged with conspiring with Manni, Mitchell "Ed" Karam and others to fix the results of Toledo football and basketball games, from late 2004 through 2006.
He met Manni through the owner of a phone shop in Toledo, Ohio, the FBI says.
Related listings
-
Supreme Court Takes on Special Ed Case
National News 04/23/2009The Supreme Court is again trying to decide when taxpayers must footthe bill for private schooling for special education students. The court will hear arguments Tuesday in an Oregon case in which alocal school district contends that students should a...
-
Supermarket Mogul Guilty of Charges
National News 04/21/2009George Torres, a feisty entrepreneur who built a multimillion-dollargrocery store chain by catering to some of Los Angeles' poorestcommunities, was convicted of racketeering, solicitation of murder,bribery and other crimes Monday by a federal court j...
-
Man Jailed for Dodging Child Support
National News 04/13/2009Authorities in Michigan say a man fathered 14 children with 13 different women and owes more than $530,000 in unpaid child support. The Flint Journal reports 42-year-old Thomas Frazier was jailed Thursday. Court records say he hasn't made a support p...
USCIS Issues Clarifying Guidance on NAFTA TN Status Eligibility for Economists
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it is clarifying policy guidance (PDF, 71 KB) on the specific work activities its officers should consider when determining whether an individual qualifies for TN nonimmigrant status as an economist.
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) TN nonimmigrant status allows qualified Canadian and Mexican citizens to temporarily enter the U.S. to engage in specific professional activities, including the occupation of economist. The agreement, however, does not define the term economist, resulting in inconsistent decisions on whether certain analysts and financial professionals qualify for TN status as economists.
TN nonimmigrant status is intended to allow a limited number of professionals and specialists to work temporarily in certain specifically identified occupations in the United States. This updated guidance provides USCIS officers with a specific definition of one such category – economists – allowing them to adjudicate applications in a way that complies with the intent of the agreement. This policy update clarifies that professional economists requesting TN status must engage primarily in activities consistent with the profession of an economist. Individuals who work primarily in other occupations related to the field of economics — such as financial analysts, marketing analysts, and market research analysts — are not eligible for classification as a TN economist.